Floor coverings have conventionally been used in the prior art to protect and cover an area of a floor which receives relatively high pedestrian traffic. Also, they have been used to reduce fatigue of persons standing on the floor mats by providing cushioning or padding. Some floor coverings include ornamental aspects to improve the aesthetic appearance of the covering. The conventional floor covering has also been adapted to convey information to any person within visual range.
Prior art floor coverings tend to creep and fold due to repeated and prolonged exposure to the elements, pressure, and the impact forces of material handling carts, shopping carts, pedestrian traffic, and other typical wear. The edges of the coverings in time crack, split, and curl up. This creates a significant danger to persons and objects which traverse the mat. A visibly worn floor covering could potentially subject a property owner to serious civil liability. This wear also has an effect on any messages displayed by a floor covering. Over time, the message on the mat will fade and lose its effect on persons within visual range.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,995,849 issued to Donnellan discloses a door mat having an open-ended channel that functions as a receiver and retainer for replaceable letters or designs. Key ways along opposite sides of the channel accommodate ribs on the letters to retain the letters on the mat. However, the door mat channel is not flush with the top surface of the mat. Therefore, it presents an unnecessary hazard to passersby. Additionally, the inset information and means of mounting the characters may become damaged or distorted over time through normal use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,734 issued to Yeh discloses a floor carpet having phosphorescent pigment directional symbols or signs formed in the carpeting during the manufacturing process. The luminescent symbols are not replicable or otherwise interchangeable in a practicable manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,830 issued to Castle et al discloses an illuminated floor mat having an interior pocket for advertising materials. The mat includes a top transparent sheet located over a second sheet with a pocket located between the sheets. The perimeters of the sheets are sealed together to enclose the advertising material with the pocket. An electroluminescent lamp within the pocket is actuated when a person walks upon the mat to illuminate the advertising material. The mat requires a power source, and is therefore unfit to use in damp conditions or where it may come in contact with water.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,182,040 issued to Pharo et al discloses a personnel location control system utilizing path forming guidance members and line elements to describe a pedestrians walkway and rules for queuing therein. The system includes various removable visual indicia for conveying information to its users. However, the information is only relatable as a part of a series of signals and elements designed for guidance to a desired location.
None of the prior art discloses a simple and easy to manufacture movable floor covering with an easily interchangeable means of displaying information. The prior art has failed to disclose a floor covering that is also capable of withstanding extended periods of use without significant wear or otherwise causing an increased risk of injury or property damage. Therefore, there is a need for a floor covering which can display information in a simple, practical and easily interchangeable manner while withstanding normal wear associated with prolonged use.